Dynamic volume adjustment in a slot machine

Abstract

A casino gaming machine includes a speaker structured to produce a game audio output having a volume, an ambient noise level (ambient noise level) detector structured to detect an ambient noise level proximate the gaming machine, and an dynamic volume controller configured to regulate the volume of the game audio output in relation to a detected ambient noise level. The gaming machine can produce a plurality of game audio outputs, wherein the game audio output volumes can be differentially adjusted in relation to a detected ambient noise level. Differential volume adjustment can be on the basis of a parameter, such as sound output class.

1 . A gaming machine, comprising: 
 A speaker structured to produce a gaming sound output having a volume;    an ambient noise level detector structured to detect an ambient noise level (ambient noise level) of a gaming machine vicinity and produce a detected ambient noise level signal; and    an dynamic volume controller configured to regulate the volume of the gaming sound output in response to a detected ambient noise level signal.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the gaming machine vicinity is a definable gaming machine vicinity.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine of  claim 2  wherein the definable gaming machine vicinity is definable by either of a user or a gaming electronic processor.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the speaker is structured to produce a plurality of gaming sound outputs, each of said gaming sound outputs having a volume; and    the dynamic volume controller is configured to regulate the volumes of a sub-plurality of gaming sound outputs in relation to a detected ambient noise level.    
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine of  claim 4  wherein the dynamic volume controller is configured to differentially regulate a volume of a first gaming sound output in relation to the detected ambient noise level.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of gaming sound outputs are categorized into a plurality of gaming sound classes; and 
 the dynamic volume controller is configured to differentially regulate a volume of a first gaming sound output in relation to the detected ambient noise level on the basis of the gaming sound class to which the first gaming sound output is assigned.    
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of gaming sound classes includes at least one of attraction sounds, instruction sounds, game-play sounds or winning sounds.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the dynamic volume controller is operative to upwardly increase the gaming sound output volume if the gaming machine is unplayed for a defined time period.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the dynamic volume controller is configured to regulate the volume of the gaming sound output in response to a detected player presence.  
     
     
         10 . A gaming device having a dynamic audio output, comprising: 
 an audio amplifier structured to generate a first gaming sound amplified signal having a first amplification level;    a speaker structured to emit a gaming sound output having an output volume, said gaming sound output corresponding to the first gaming sound amplified signal;    an ambient noise meter configured to measure an ambient noise level of an environment within a gaming machine vicinity; and    a dynamic volume controller configured to modulate the first amplification level of the gaming sound output in relation to the ambient noise level.    
     
     
         11 . The gaming device of  claim 10  wherein: 
 the audio amplifier is further structured to generate a second gaming sound amplified signal having a second amplification level; and    the dynamic volume controller is configured to modulate the amplification level of one of the first gaming sound amplified signal and the second gaming sound amplified signal in relation to the ambient noise level.    
     
     
         12 . A gaming device, comprising: 
 a sound generator structured to produce a gaming sound pre-amp signal having an input volume component;    a speaker structured to emit a gaming sound output corresponding to the gaming sound pre-amp signal, said gaming sound output having an output volume corresponding to the input volume component of the gaming sound pre-amp signal;    an ambient noise detector configured to detect an ambient noise level of an environment within a gaming machine vicinity; and    a dynamic volume controller configured to regulate the audio output volume in relation to the detected ambient noise level via adjustment of the input volume component.    
     
     
         13 . The gaming device of  claim 12  wherein the sound generator is structured to produce a plurality of gaming sound pre-amp signals having a corresponding plurality of volume components; and 
 The dynamic volume controller is configured to modulate a sub-plurality of input volume components in relation to the ambient noise level.    
     
     
         14 . The gaming device of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of gaming sound pre-amp signals are categorized into a plurality of game sound classes including at least one of attraction sounds, instruction sounds, game-play sounds and winning sounds; and 
 the dynamic volume controller is configured to differentially modulate an input volume component of a gaming sound pre-amp signal in relation to the ambient noise level on the basis of the gaming sound class to which the gaming sound pre-amp signal is assigned.